Aquitaine Brasserie, After Hours Wine Bar, Epocha, Mechanics Institute
Our restaurant critics' picks of the latest and best eats around the country, updated weekly.
Brisbane
Last-minute Melbourne Cup celebrations
Left your Melbourne Cup plans to the very last minute? Can't be bothered chilling the Champagne and making those chicken sandwiches? Here's what some of Australia's top restaurants are doing for the day.
The Survey Co
REVIEW It’s within cooee of Queen Street Mall, but this laneway bolthole feels coolly out of step with it. Moodily lit with an industrial-chic interior featuring brick, leather hides and brass, there are nooks aplenty to dally in, including a quirky courtyard behind. Even the wine list is character-filled – a “reserve, vintage and obscure” […]
Public
REVIEW If you’re not averse to ants with your salmon or roasted mealworm clinging to stir-fried water spinach, you’ll get plenty of love at Public: big flavours, adventurous pairings and seriously good cooking are top of the menu. An emu tartare with cured egg yolk, served atop lavosh, stands out for its unique taste and […]
The Bowery’s Attack
The best defence is a good offence, not least of all in the cocktail cabinet, as this little-known classic amply demonstrates.
Public’s Cotton Quencher
Salty, smoky and with bonus pork, this boilermaker is tailor-made for the latest wave of the Brisbane bar revolution.
Sky Room’s Miss Honey Ryder
Taking Tiki uptown with a twist.
Tartufo
REVIEW Owner and chef Tony Percuoco has created a complete and, for Brisbane, unique dining experience at this high-achieving restaurant. Step from Emporium, a bustling shopping precinct, into an elegant enclave. In a hurry? Turn right and snack on Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizze. Or veer left to find well-drilled waitstaff, rich red banquettes, black linen and […]
Saké
REVIEW There’s an air of fun and occasion that makes Saké a popular choice for celebrations. From the enthusiastic chef greetings on arrival to the staggering selection of sakes by the glass, carafe or bottle, spirits are high even before the share plates arrive, and private dining rooms tucked away at the rear cater to […]
Moda
REVIEW This leafy CBD sanctuary, with its covered courtyard tables and chandelier centrepiece, embodies SpanishenergÃa, its ambience a clear nod to the chef-patron’s Barcelona upbringing. The flavour-driven dishes are less clearly inflected, drawing as much inspiration from Mediterranean and Queensland bounty as Catalonia. Padrón peppers fire up alongside spicy Manolete chorizo, and Queensland mackerel comes […]